Accompaniment harmonica



' July 3, 192s.

S. A. PERRY AGCOMPANIMENT HARMONICA July3,1492sv.

S. A. PERRY ACCOMPANIMENT HARMONICA z Sheets-Sheet 2 ....lll

Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED s'rATEs ySAMUEL A. PERRY, jornnw Yemen. Y.

. ACCOMPANIMENT HARMONICA.

Application led November :6,11926. SeralfNd 146,614.

The object of mv invention isfto provide `a harmonica in which a number `of major chords or a number of minor chordsor diminished ,oraugmented chords may be blown or drawn so as to accompany any melody in any key whatsoever. A further object is to provide a harmonica with separate groups of notes so that the notes of one chord will be separated from the notes of another chord by a space so that a player can either blow or draw through a group of holes and get correct notes without playing 'false notes. A further object isto provide only a few reeds to a plate so that if one reed becomes broken or disabled only a small number of reeds need to be replaced, namely, those on one plate. These and other objects are accomplished by my invention, one embodiment of which is hereinafter more. particularly set forth.

For a more detailed description of my invention, referencevis to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View showing the holes and the notes corresponding'to the holes for a harmonica embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a har-` monica embodying my invention according to the diagram of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Figure 4 is an end elevation.

Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views with parts broken away. Figure 5 showing a plate with reeds secured thereon.

Throughoutthe various views of the drawings, similar reference characters designate similar parts.

My improved harmonica may be made of any desired size or any desired number of groups. In the embodiment shown, sixteen groups of chords are provided, although it will be understood that more or less may be used, according to the capacity of the instrument. It will be noted that in the embodiment shown, two tiers of harmonicas are employed. This is to reduce the length and make the instrument more convenient for the person playing the same. If desired, the chords may be arranged in any other suitable way. In the embodiment shown my harmonica I has two members 2 and 3 secured together by suitable braces 4 or in any other desired manner. The smaller harmonica. f3 has i diminished. seventh chords i. in the upper layer and augmented triad chords lin the lower layer, the upper chords being arranged to function when 4air -is )forced through the mouth openings and the lower series is made to function when air is drawn through these openings. The same applies to the harmonica 2. In the harmonica 3 the chords are divided in grou-ps of eight with notes, as shown in Figure 1, and the harmonica 2 is divided into groups of six with the chords, as indicated in the lower parts of this figure. Between each group of chords is a spacer' 5 equal to the width of one mouth opening 6 and these mouth openings are divided into the upper and lower layers, as shown.

As appears in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 the spacers are cut in a little so as to clearly differentiate them from the mouth openings 6 on each side. f f

A further improvement is to divide the plates above and below the openings 6 into units which reach from :the middle of one space 5 to the middle of the next space 5. In the lower harmonica this covers a space of substantially four openings `and in the upper harmonica a space 0f substantially five openings. y

In either case, eachplate 7 yis provided withreeds 8. In the upper row the` reeds are external and in the lower row the reeds are internal. By dividing the plates into small units, as shown, it is possibleto repair the instrument when a reed ceases to function properly by removing one plate with three or four reeds instead of changing a large plate with many reeds, as has heretofore been required. These plates 7 may be secured in the conventional` manner by means of small tacks 9, or any other suitable means. In the preferred embodiment of my invention lip plates 10 are placed over the reeds so as to protect the mouth of the player from them and these plates 10 are close to the plates 7 at the front and have air openings 11 at the rear, of the conventional kind. The mouth plates 10 are secured to the end pieces 12 of the harmonicas by means of suitable tacks or brads 13 or other suitable means.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the notes are arranged as shown at 14, 15, 16 and 17 o-f Figure 1, but they may be arranged in any desired manner as is apparent. y f

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my' invention, it is obvious that it is not restricted thereto, but that it .is broad enough to cover all structures that come Within the scope of theannexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A harmonica with a series of mouth openings divided into groups separated by a spacer ofsubstantially a mouth opening in 2. A'harmonica with a series of mouth openings divided into groups, each group having related chords only which will sound harmoniously when played together and means for separating these groups so that only one group Will be played at a time.

3. A harmonica With mouth openings divided into groups separated by incut spacers of substantial Width.

4. A harmonica With mouth openings divided into groups and a separate plate with reeds for each group. Intestimony whereof, I' have hereunto setmy hand this 29th day of October. 1926.

SAMUEL A. PERRY. 

